Edina Magazine January 2016

In the January issue we wish Braemar a happy birthday, check in with
local experts who are solving the mystery of superfoods and get to know
the talented dancers at Dance With Us America.

Everyone could use someone like Ethelind Belle in their corner. Or, more specifically, in their closet. Someone who can hand you items of clothing and say, “Here, try this. But this time, tuck it in like this. Add this scarf. And off you go!”

 

Braemar figure skating instructors Eleanor Fischer and Jean Pastor created Edina’s first ice show in 1966.

 

A little citrus goes a long way to cure the winter blahs. Bright, snappy flavors are the hallmarks of lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit. Even on the coldest of days, citrus fruits taste like sunshine. Their vitamin C is a healthy bonus.

 

Coconut Thai recently opened in the space formerly occupied by Rice Paper at 50th and France. Owner Pallop Ratnasingha describes the food as traditional Thai with homemade recipes straight from his mother’s kitchen.

 

Nordic skiing can whisper—at times the only sound resonating in winter’s air is the steady rhythm of skis caressing the snow, urging quick, smooth slides—even as muscles scream and lungs ache with every push to the finish.

 

Stella Sick wanted her boys to learn to dance. She believed it could not only teach her sons athleticism and grace, but how to work with a partner and talk to members of the opposite sex. “I think dance is a necessary social grace,” says Sick.

 

With the excitement of fall well past and winter underway, hardly anyone is thinking of starting a new school year—except the parents of young kids who will begin preschool in the fall.

 

Gluten-free, grass-fed, organic. You’ve heard these and countless other nutrition terms and health fads championed by celebrities and dissected on the news in recent years. You know you should eat “healthy”—but how exactly is that accomplished?

 

After teaching at Edina’s Normandale French Immersion School for 10 years, Bianca Gelia Suglia is using her job as a peer coach to bring specialized knowledge and understanding, referred to as global competence, into Edina schools.

 

Plunging mercury and towering snow piles are the co-parents of invention, especially when winter nights stretch longer than our imaginations.

 

Welcyon, a fitness program franchise for the 50-plus crowd, claims it can help baby boomers double their strength in a year.

 

Minnesotans know there is no better way to get through these long frosty months than with some outdoor winter activities. However, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in the fun of skating and sledding that before long, you realize your fingers feel frozen and your toes are numb.

 

No Sign of Nessy (above)
Per and Annika Christensson visit Loch Ness in Scotland with their favorite magazine.

 

A steaming cup of hot tea can be just what you need on a cold winter day. At Teavana you will find a variety of loose leaf teas to take home and enjoy.

 

Escape the frigid winter temps and warm up at a hot yoga class. Traditional yoga performed at average room temperatures has been touted as enhancing flexibility, balance and strength. However, proponents of hot yoga note the added benefits of detoxification through sweat.

 

If getting organized made it onto your list of New Year’s resolutions or if your desk accessories could use an upgrade this year, russell + hazel in the Galleria has just what you need.

 

Rid yourself of bad habits and acquire some good ones, like a regular workout regimen or a fun new creative outlet for your kids at the Southdale YMCA.

 

“It’s kind of a funny story,” says Julie Prior-Miller about the origins of her Images of Edina award-winning photo.

 

For many, a new year brings the desire to make improvements in our lives and well-being, whether by losing weight, making a career change or finding a significant other. However, making important life changes can feel daunting.

 

Edina High School graduate Emma Crosby had an incredible college freshman year. Not only did her snowboard team at Westminster College in Salt Lake City win the collegiate nationals, but Crosby won the women’s national championship and was also named an academic all-American.

 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Braemar Arena. In celebration, hockey enthusiasts and art lovers alike can help the city acquire a fitting sculpture for the arena. The sculpture, Slapshot, portrays a hockey player holding a stick and was created by local artist Judd Nelson.